Line tie

ABSTRACT

An appliance for fastening an electrical conductor, etc. to a mounting device is disclosed. The appliance has an elongated leg portion helically preformed to a predetermined internal diameter and pitch length for application to the linear body in gripping relation therewith. A return bent portion of the appliance has one end integral with the leg portion, an intermediate segment for encircling a reduced diameter neck portion of the mounting device and an opposite end configured as a hook for engaging the conductor thereby to secure the conductor against the reduced diameter neck portion of the mounting device. Other features are disclosed.

United States Patent DAgati 1451 May 23, 1972 1 LINE TIE 2,888,726 6/1959 Smith ..l74/DIG. 12 [72] Inventor: John Agni, Lakewood, Ohio 3,069,491 12/1962 Hayden ..l74/DIG. 12 73 Assignee; P f d Line products Company FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Cleveland, Ohm 260,862 11/1926 Great Britain ..24/131 0 [22] Filed: Mar. 19, 1970 Primary ExaminerBemard A. Gelak [21] Appl' 21,068 AttorneyHume, Clement, Hume & Lee

521 U.S. c1. ..29/526, 24/131 0, 174/173, ABSTRACT 51 In Cl 174/1316 174/79 248/63 An appliance for fastening an electrical conductor, etc. to a i "323], 19/00 H018 17/16 F163 1 mounting device is disclosed. The appliance has an elongated 1 e o arch 13 1 129 81 leg portion helically preformed to a predetermined internal 1 4/173 29/526 63] diameter and pitch length for application to the linear body in gripping relation therewith. A return bent portion of the ap- [56] References Cited pliance has one end integral with the leg portion, an inter- UNITED STATES PATENTS mediate segment for encircling a reduced diameter neck portion of the mounting dev1ce and an oppos1te end configured as Seurynck C a hook for engaging the conductor thereby to secure the con. 2,984,882 5/1961 Winn ....24/ 131 C ductor against the reduced diameter neck portion of the 742,890 1 1/1903 Moore ..24/ C mounting device. Other features are disclosed. 750,782 1/1904 Ramsey.... ..24/131 C 1,725,610 8/1929 Byl 1 74/DIG. 12 3 Claim, 3 Drawing figures LINE TIE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to appliances to be used in connection with linear bodies such as electrical conductors, cables, stranded ropes and the like and, more specifically, pertains to a new and improved appliance for securing such linear bodies to various types of suspension and mounting devices.

Electrical conductors and other types of suspended linear bodies must, of course, receive support at periodic intervals along the course of their lengths. A variety of support devices and associated apparatus for fastening the linear bodies thereto are known to the prior art.

One technique widely used in the past is the lashing of the conductor to the support member by means of a wire or the like. This method has several distinct disadvantages. For example, it is generally desired that the lashing member securely grip the conductor so as to prevent significant axial displacement thereof, however, it is well known that such a condition is extremely difficult to attain with a wire lashing unless auxiliary clamping devices are .employed. Additionally, since the lashing member must be relatively pliable in order for it to be easily wrapped about the conductor and the suspension device, it has little or no natural resiliency. Thus, vibration of the conductor distorts the lashing wire and it tends to loosen at its respective ends until it no longer grips the conductor in the required fashion.

Another prior art method utilizes clamps for securing the conductor to the suspension member. Typically the gripping portions or jaws of these clamps are relatively rigid and prevent flexing of that portion of the conductor held within. Thus, there is an abrupt transistion between the free portion of the conductor which iscontinually flexed or vibrated by the wind or other climatic conditions and that conductor portion which is fixedly held by the jaws of the clamp. This abrupt interface results in exceptional stress concentration often leading to premature fatigue failure of the conductor.

In summary, it has been found desirable to provide a support appliance that displays the gripping qualities of the clamp while avoiding the undesired stress concentrations inherent therein. It is also preferred that the appliance be exceptionally easy to install and remove since, in most instances, the assembly and disassembly thereof takes place at an elevated position under awkward and confined working conditions, as atop a suspension tower or cross-arm of a line pole.

Line ties suitable for use with various types of support members and satisfying the aforementioned requirements are disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,042,745 Williams and U.S. Pat. No. 3,286,023 Eucker, both assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. The various line ties disclosed in these patents are, however, adapted to extend along the conductor for a considerable distance on either side of the principal support point. In most instances, such an arrangement is entirely satisfactory but where there are two or more closely adjacent support points, such as on a double crossarm structure of a line pole, the adjacent ties may mutually interfere and prevent proper installation or operation of one or both of the appliances. Another form of line tie satisfying the foregoing requirements and also suitable for use with two closely adjacent support points is disclosed and claimed in a copending application, Ser. No. 715,699 Hoban, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,555,625 and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. The line tie of the foregoing application is particularly suited for lashing a conductor to a saddle-shaped groove in a top surface of a mounting device whereas, as will presently be seen, the line tie of the present invention is particularly suited to effect a different type of lashing of the conductor to the mounting device, as may be required or desirable in certain environments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a new and improved line tie that, although of more general utility, is suitably adapted for fastening a linear body to each of a pair of closely adjacent support points.

A further objective of the invention is to provide a line tie of the above capability that also displays all of the earlier summarized preferred features for a line tie construction. In this regard, the line tie of the invention securely fastens a linear body to a support point while substantially preventing abrasion or fatigue damage to the linear body, the appliance or the mounting device.

The method of the invention for installing the aforesaid line tie appliance assures that the required conductor support and positioning is obtained without the necessity of special tools or exceptional manual skills on behalf of the lineman.

The invention is accordingly directed to an appliance for fastening a linear body to a mounting device. The appliance comprises an elongated leg portion helically preformed to a predetermined internal diameter and pitch length for application to the linear body in predetermined gripping relation therewith. A return bent portion of the appliance is adapted to operatively engage the mounting device and for this purpose comprises a first end integral with the helically preformed leg portion and an opposite end configured as a hook for engaging the linear body.

According to the method of the invention, the appliance is installed by inserting the hook of the return bent portion over the linear body at a location whereat the hook is oriented approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the linear body and along a line tangent to one side of the reduced diameter neck portion of the mounting device. The return bent portion of the appliance is wrapped about the neck portion of the mounting device and the helically preformed leg is thereafter applied about the linear body in gripping relation thereto with the leg extending to the aforesaid one side of the mounting device and with the hook being located intermediate adjacent pitches of the helically preformed leg.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The novel features of the present invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention together with further objects and advantages thereof may best be understood, however, by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the several figures of which like reference numerals identify like elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an electrical conductor as mounted to a pair of closely adjacent support points by appliances constructed according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the supported conductor assembly taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of one of the identical appliances of FIGS. 1 and 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIG. 1, there are shown a pair of identical appliances 19 according to the present invention, each being illustrated in an assembled condition for securing a linear body 12 to respective ones of a pair of closely adjacent mounting devices 11.

In this instance, the linear body 12 is an electrical power transmission line and the mounting devices 1 ;4 are glass or ceramic pintype electrical insulators, although it is understood that the appliances glare of utility in various other environments as lashing or securing devices.

The insulators 1:! each include a reduced diameter neck portion 16 and a transverse cap portion 18 of significantly larger diameter than the neck. The electrical insulators H gradually flare or taper outwardly to form enlarged base portions 20 into the underside of which there are fixedly mounted individual supporting pins or posts 22. The flared insulator base portions 20 prevent moisture from accumulating between the support arm or post and the insulator thereby minimizing the danger of a short circuit. The posts 22 mount the insulators on a cross-arm 24 or the like of a line pole, not shown.

From FIGS. 1 and 2, it may be appreciated that the appliances 111 are identical and, for this reason, only the one on the left-hand side of the drawing will be described in detail, although it is understood that the description is equally applicable to the remaining appliance and the latter appliance bears like numbering to clearly indicate the correspondence. Specifically, and with particular reference to FIG. 3, appliance comprises an elongated leg portion 26 helically preformed to a predetermined internal diameter and pitch length for application to the conductor 12 in a predetermined gripping relation therewith. The helical leg 26 is of conventional construction being adapted to grip and hold the conductor against longitudinal movement with respect to the appliance and the associated mounting device. The appliance Q is also provided with a return bent portion 28 having an internal diameter approximating that of the neck portion 16 of the insulator l 4. A first end of the return bent portion 28 is integral with the helically preformed leg 26 while an opposite end is configured as a hook of a shape for securely engaging the conductor 12. The terminus of the hook 30 in the present embodiment is bent to extend axially of the conductor 12 in order to assist in preventing inadvertent slippage of the hook 30 from about the conductor 12 during swaying or other movement of the conductor. An intermediate segment of the return bent portion 28 is fashioned as a loop lying entirely to one side of the axis of the helical leg 26 and the loop is of an internal diameter so as to fit snugly about the neck 16 of the insulator Q. in this regard, the return bent portion of the appliance m is preferably of the non-helical configuration illustrated both for convenience of installation and for assuring that the conductor 12 is secured against the neck of the insulator by the snugly fitting return bent portion of the appliance. In order to further assist in securing the conductor to the mounting device, it is preferred that the helical pitch of the leg 26 be continued beyond the hook 30 to the opposite side of the insulator 14, i.e. approximately to the point of a line tangent to the neck 16 of the insulator and perpendicular to the conductor 12. The pitch length of the leg 26 in the vicinity of the insulator may or may not be different from that of the remainder of the leg according to the diameter of the insulator neck, the diameter of the conductor and other factors peculiar to the specific environment of use.

The appliances 1) as installed on the closely adjacent support points of FIGS. 1 and 2 are oriented such that their leg portions extend in opposite directions so as to preclude mutual interference between the appliances. In the present embodiment, each appliances is manufactured from a solid core reinforced plastic meterial that is preformed to the desired shape. It is understood, however, that the appliances may be constructed of a plurality of reinforced elements or strands similar to that utilized in the construction of other appliances such as those disclosed in United States Letters Patent to Thomas F. Peterson, e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,609,653 and 2,761,273, and may be manufactured by any suitable method such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,691,865, all of which patents are assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. The individual or multiple strands may be made of any suitable material that has sufficient strength, resiliency and flexibility to meet the requirements of the line tie. Generally where the line tie is made of a metal material, as opposed to the illustrated plastic composition, the return bent portion of the appliance preferably should be provided with a protective covering, such as neoprene or the like.

The appliance m is installed with relative ease and without special skills or tools. Specifically, the hook 30 is inserted about the conductor 12 with the hook being oriented approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the conductor and along a line tangent to one side of the reduced diameter neck portion of the mounting device. Thus, the bulk of any stress applied to the hook by virtue of movement of the conductor is directed at the strongest portion thereof, i.e., perpendicular to the bight of the hook and in a plane common to that defined by the hook. In this regard, the basic structural requirements for the hook 30 are that it be of sufficient strength to withstand anticipated loading and that it be configured so as not to slip off the conductor during movement thereof in the environment of use.

With the hook properly positioned, the return bent portion 28 of the appliance is wrapped about the insulator neck 16. The helically preformed leg portion is then rotated about the conductor in a clockwise direction to efiect an application of the helically preformed leg thereabout and to complete assembly of the appliance and provide an installation as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The appliance is constructed and arranged such that the hook 30 is inherently located intermediate adjacent pitches of the helically preformed leg 26 and, accordingly, is not in interference with the leg. The appliance l 0 may be removed by performing the foregoing operations in reverse.

The asymmetrical configuration of the appliance 10 relative to the center axis of the support 1;! makes it especially attractive for use in conjunction with closely adjacent support points of the type illustrated and described herein, although it is to be understood that the appliance is not restricted to such applications. The appliance, in addition to being easy to install and remove, also offers other attractive features. For example, vibration or other motion of the conductor due to climatic conditions or the like is resiliently damped by the helical leg with a minimum stress concentration along the cable 12. Further, the plastic construction of the present embodiment, or the protectively covered metal strands in the alternate embodiment earlier discussed, substantially prevent abrasion both to the appliance and to the conductor thereby assuring a long useful life for both items.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it is apparent that various changes and modifications may be made, and it is therefore intended in the following claims to cover all such modifications and changes as may fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. The method of securing a linear body to a mounting device of the type having a base tapering to a reduced diameter neck portion and a transverse cap portion overlying said reduced diameter neck portion by means of an appliance including a helically preformed leg portion and a return bent portion having one end integral with said helically preformed leg portion and an opposite end formed as a hook, comprising the steps of:

inserting said hook of said return bent portion over said linear body with said hook being oriented approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said linear body along a line tangent one side of said reduced diameter neck portion of said mounting device;

wrapping said return bent portion about said neck portion of said mounting device;

and applying said helically preformed leg portion of said appliance about said linear body in gripping relation thereto with said leg portion extending to said one side of said mounting device and with said hook being located intermediate adjacent pitches of said helically preformed leg portion.

2. An appliance for securing a linear body to a mounting device of a type having a base tapering to a reduced diameter neck portion and having a transverse cap portion overlying said reduced diameter neck portion, comprising:

an elongated leg portion having opposite ends and helically preformed to a predetermined internal diameter and a predetermined open pitch for application about said linear body in tightly encircling and gripping relation therewith with one end located adjacent said neck porengaging said linear body at a point intermediate adjacent pitches of said helical leg in non-interfering relation therewith so as to captivate said linear body between the base of said hook and the neck of said mounting device. 3. The appliance of claim 2 in which the terminus of said return bent portion is bent to extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of said elongated leg portion. 

1. The method of securing a linear body to a mounting device of the type having a base tapering to a reduced diameter neck portion and a transverse cap portion overlying said reduced diameter neck portion by means of an appliance including a helically preformed leg portion and a return bent portion having one end integral with said helically preformed leg portion and an opposite end formed as a hook, comprising the steps of: inserting said hook of said return bent portion over said linear body with said hook being oriented approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said linear body along a line tangent one side of said reduced diameter neck portion of said mounting device; wrapping said return bent portion about said neck portion of said mounting device; and applying said helically preformed leg portion of said appliance about said linear body in gripping relation thereto with said leg portion extending to said one side of said mounting device and with said hook being located intermediate adjacent pitches of said helically preformed leg portion.
 2. An appliance for securing a linear body to a mounting device of a type having a base tapering to a reduced diameter neck portion and having a transverse cap portion overlying said reduced diameter neck portion, comprising: an elongated leg portion having opposite ends and helically preformed to a predetermined internal diameter and a predetermined open pitch for application about said linear body in tightly encircling and gripping relation therewith with one end located adjacent said neck portion of said mounting device and the other end located to one side thereof; and a return bent portion having one end integral with said one end of said elongated leg, an intermediate segment for encircling said reduced diameter neck portion of said mounting device and an opposite end configured as a generally J-shaped hook oriented transversely to the longitudinal axis of said elongated leg and tangent to the neck of said mounting device with said hook adapted for engaging said linear body at a point intermediate adjacent pitches of said helical leg in non-interfering relation therewith so as to captivate said linear body between the base of said hook and the neck of said mounting device.
 3. The appliance of claim 2 in which the terminus of said return bent portion is bent to extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of said elongated leg portion. 